Things that can happen in 8 years
by roxyfire57
Summary: This is a story about Bulma's death in the Cell Saga. An AU. And what will change in 8 years. Trunks and Vegeta, and the arrival of Goten. A one-shot. Please R&R! I don't own DBZ (The revised version with minor edits complete)


**Let's say Bulma was one of the 17 and 18's victims. Remember after they pounded Vegeta, Trunks, Piccolo and the others to a pulp off the highway? Let's say that they went to CC before looking for Goku and killed Bulma there. And let's imagine, by a stroke of luck and a tiniest bit of compassion, the adorable little baby Trunks wasn't killed. Still following me? Good. Remember the wish they made on the lookout? "I wish all those killed by Cell would come back to life." Yea that wish, at the end of the cell saga. Remember? Okay. Bulma would not be wished back since, well, she's not one of Cell's victims, but one of 17 and 18's. To those who are wondering, the victims of Perfect Cell (which is not so perfect after all) does not include the victims of 17 and 18 which were absorbed. Make sense so far? Good. **

**Here I give you a one-shot that I wrote: a what-if scenario if, well, the above scenario happens. Vegeta is a little OOC. All comments, good or bad, appreciated! Please R&R:) This is the revised version:) (credits to kalebxdd)**

**Part 0**

"I have a request. A last one before i die..." She looked them in the eye. Trying her bet to keep her voice calm. "Yes?" The blonde raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. She was beautiful, if not deadly. "Let me put him to sleep. One last time... he's a baby-he does not deserve to watch this. I'll go put him on his bed first. Let him sleep through this." The two considered her request before the man nodded. "Alright, a last thing we can do for a gorgeous lady like you." Bulma gulped and walked up the stairs clutching Trunks to her chest, trying not to lose consciousness.

She came back down soon afterwards. Without the child, standing in front of the androids, she closed her eyes. She took her last breath and a white light enveloped her.

**Part I**

Vegeta knelt down at the unrecognizable heap of rubble that used to be Capsule Corporation. He picked up the blue-haired corpse and held her close to his chest, and let the tears fall freely. He was never a man of emotions and liked to keep a tough exterior, but that woman no doubt softened him little by little and up till this point he was close to breaking. Vegeta wiped the blood of her face-her beautiful pale face. Unable to hold himself back he met his lips with hers, knowing this would be the last time. Her eyes were devoid of life-the same stunning blue eyes that had first caught his attention, the very bright blue eyes that had attracted him. They would never open again, he knew. It broke his heart. "I never got to say it. You always wanted me to tell you but i didn't and I'm sorry. I regret it a lot. I love you Bulma Briefs."

The Z fighters stood behind watching the prince mourn. Even the carefree Goku was weighed down by the seriousness and grief of the situation. (A/N: I know he was supposed to die after the fight with Cell but i just want him here in this story.) Mirai Trunks stepped forward and placed a hand on his father's shoulder. He held back, unsure of what to say. He needn't say anything. Vegeta laid his lover's body back onto the soft grass and stood up, his gaze meeting his son's. The pair stood there for a moment. Understanding. Then Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise and shock, suddenly breaking the connection with the teen and rushed up the stairs. Everyone shared a confused look. "Where did he go?" Goku broke the silence, scratching the back of his head. Sighing, Mirai Trunks followed him. His father can be so unpredictable at times.

He gasped. The scene awaiting him astounded Trunks more than it did anyone else. There Vegeta was, standing there, his tear stained face not facing them. He was whispering some words in which neither of them could make out, to a little bundle in his hands. He held the infant Trunks to his chest and cooed soothing words in an attempt to calm the baby-words in saiya-go that were along the line of "Baby don't cry, Daddy's here". Of course baby Trunks couldn't understand any of it, just to hear his father's soft voice calmed him. Gohan was indeed astonished. _The same man who killed every one of his friends and even his ally, the same guy who battled his father and tried to kill him, the same one who had a obsession of immortality and power-now playing Daddy to a 1 year old child._ He felt Goku put a hand on his head and mess with his hair playfully. The teen looked over at Mirai Trunks. _In this timeline without a mum, in another without a dad._ He pitied the older boy.

They heard Vegeta emit a soft sigh and he turned to face the group, his features somewhat softened. He adjusted the baby in his arms like he had seen Bulma hold him, and stalked over. "Kakarot's mate. I need your help." He said.

"Wha-what?! Me?" Chi Chi squeaked, appaled by the sudden attention. "Well duh! Unless Kakarot has another mate I don't know about..." Veeta sighed tiredly and addressed the housewife. Chi Chi regained her confident composure. "Yes, of course. What do you need?" Vegeta opened his mouth to speak, but closed it promptly. He flushed a light pink and turned away, Trunks still in his arms. "Um...what do babies eat?"

Chi Chi sighed in relief. "Was that all you needed to know about?" Vegeta flushed deeper and nodded. "Didn't Bulma ever tell you anything?" Chi Chi questioned, an eyebrow raised. Vegeta shrugged. "Yes, but i never paid attention. Something about baby food, sleep and baths." The housewife nodded and walked briskly towards the kitchen(or rather what was left of it) beckoning him to follow. "Well Vegeta, you have to learn to take care of Trunks yourself from now on, so here's what you need to know..."

Two long boring hours later Chi Chi stood up. "Well, that's about it." _I'm surprised he actually paid attention_, she mused. She glanced towards her own husband dozing off, then back to Vegeta whom was currently rocking his child back and forth like a cradle. _Just goes to show you can never tell about people._ "I have to go back and make dinner." Chi Chi declared. It was at this moment Goku woku up. "Dinner? Where?" He exclaimed excitedly. "Typical, Kakarot." Vegeta rolled his eyes. Mirai Trunks and Gohan walked down. "Dad, can you cook?" Mirai asked, looking pleadingly at his father. Vegeta thought for a moment and shook his head. "You're welcome to come over for dinner. I doubt you can find anything edible here." Mirai Trunks's eyes brightened up and looked at his father for confirmation.

Vegeta stood up. "You can go. But i'm not. I want to spend the night tidying up the place." He paused for a moment, then placed baby Trunks in the arms of his older counterpart. "Get him something to eat. Bring him back in one piece." He instructed. Father and son shared a meaningful look before they parted ways.

The next morning

The Z fighters gathered at Goku's yard. (Capsule Corp in undoubtedly destroyed so instead of meeting there, they would see Mirai Trunks off at Goku's house.) Mirai waved to everyone and smiled. He was glad to have saved the world, but devastated to not have been able to save the one closest to him. Still, he wasn't living in a catastrophic time anymore. He glanced around a last time, and sighed disappointed. He's not here. He closed the hatch, and typed in the coordinates to go-"Are you going to leave without saying goodbye?" Mirai Trunks glanced out and grinned. There Vegeta was standing, gazing at him and...smiling. There. He said it. Vegeta was smiling. At him. Mirai hopped of the machine. "Dad? Are you okay?" Vegeta flashed him a confused look and nodded. "Yes. Why?"

"You're smiling. As in, not glaring or smirking." Krillen pointed it out. Vegeta rolled his eyes and propped baby Trunks on his shoulders. "Yea so?" He demanded. "Ne-never mind." Vegeta turned back to his (elder) son. "When you get home, tell your mother i love her, okay?" Mirai Trunks spluttered. "Did you just... say that aloud?!" "Yes, and i am not repeating it again!" Vegeta glared and growled. "Now there's the 'Geta we all know and love!" "Shut up, Kakarot." Vegeta raised his two fingers in a silent salute. Mirai Trunks did the same. _To others, that might have been little, but to him, that tiny gesture meant everything._ Mirai Trunks phased out of sight. Baby Trunks started wailing.

**Part II**

8 years later

"You know Gohan, of all those years ago if you had just listened to me and studied hard, you would have been accepted into a good elementary school like your younger brother."

"Mum, I'm doing fine in high school."

"Yes, but a good elementary school means higher grades, and then a better high school! Goten is so much more studious than you are. All you and your father know how to do is train and fight and eat!"

"Aww come on Chi Chi. We're here to check out Goten's new school today! Give Gohan a break."

"Oh like you're any good. You never even went to school!"

The Son family landed in front of Green Star Elementary. (A/N: i ran out of names.) "Mum, i can't wait to meet everyone! All those people here are going to be my new schoolmates!" Goten smiled cheerfully. "Of course honey. Remember, get smart friends!" "Hey Chi Chi, i wonder if there's anything to eat around here." Chi Chi grabbed a brochure lying on a counter. "Well lunch is provided in about 3 hours. We can tour the place in the meantime!" She declared. "Alright! I wonder where my classrooms are." Gohan looked around. This place is big, he admired. He walked down and spotted a large trophy case where many awards were displayed. Wow, a lot of trophies were gotten last year-most about the younger years sports. I wonder who is the athlete is. Goten can definitely beat him.

From the corner of his eye he saw a student. He was dressed in the same neat uniform-nothing out of the ordinary, but what caught his attention were his eyes. Blue, striking eyes, so hauntingly familiar. "Hey dad, who's that?" "What?" Goku looked at the direction Gohan was pointing to. "There's no one there, Gohan." Gohan looked and true enough, the boy he spotted eariler was gone. _That's strange. I could have sworn i knew him from somewhere._ He was snapped out of his thoughts when Goten dragged him off to the classrooms. "Stop spacing out! We have so many places left to see!"

The halls were good. The students were polite. The classrooms were clean. The most shocking off all, the food kept coming. It was as if they expected Goku to be here. Chi Chi almost fainted when they offered Goku a 6th course in his meal. Was this school prepared for everything? "Wow Mum! Looks like they know about Dad, huh?" Chi Chi massaged her temples. She felt faint. "Excuse me?" One of the students came over obediently. "Anything wrong, ma'm?" "Well just wondering, why do you have so much food?" The student tossed her ponytail and laughed. "Well ever since last year the principal decided to always be prepared." Chi Chi smiled, flustered. "Right, thanks." The student strutted away. "Hey mum," Gohan asked, "What do you think happened last year?" Chi Chi shuddered. She did not want to know.

Goten was definitely starting at this school. That, Chi Chi decided, when she exited the gates with her 3 boys behind her. They had everything, even the right quantity of food! How often can a mother of a demi-saiya-jin say that about an earth school? She walked out proudly._ I finally found the right place for my baby!_ "Mum this place is great! They have enough food!" Goten cheered. Gohan nodded. Strange that this school had prepared enough food for a few saiya-jins. If Gohan didn't know any better, he'd say that the school already had 1 or 2 saiya-jins or demi-saiya-jins in it. He sighed and shook is head, clearing his thoughts.

"Ahhh!" Gohan snapped his head towards the shriek. Eyes widened, lunging forward-a little girl was in the way of a speeding car, frozen in shock. A woman- her mother was running towards her, screaming. She wouldn't make it in time. Too far, too late. "No!" He braced himself for the bloodshed.

Nothing. The car drove to where the girl was a moment ago, hitting nothing. No screams, no blood, no mangled body. _What? I could have sworn..._ The convertible drove past. On the other side the same little girl, sobbing quietly, in the arms of a boy. Gohan's eyes widened. That's him! The child he saw earlier in the hallway. The same familiar blue eyes. So strange. And...purple hair. No, not purple. Lavender. Gohan gasped. He knew of only one person with that strange color combination and crazy genetic code.

"That's..." He couldn't get the words. The child caught Gohan's stare and for a brief moment the two connected. The boy grabbed a hardcover book from his bag and flung it. It would have shocked everyone-the events that happened after-especially Gohan if he had not discovered the boy's identity. The book-somehow thrown at such a speed with much force, dented the boot of the car most possibly part of the vehicle's motor. The car skidded to a stop.

"Wow! That kid has tons of strength! I wonder who trained him?" Goku wondered aloud. Gohan slapped himself mentally. "Dad! Don't you remember him?!" "What are you talking about, Gohan?" Chi Chi turned to her older son. The lavender haired child turned and met Gohan's gaze...and smirked.

That confirmed it. Only one person could smirk like that. Goku saw that, and made a mental connection in his mind. "Oh he looks just like-" "-Vegeta..." Gohan finished. The boy with the blue eyes released the little girl he was holding in his ran towards her sobbing mother to greet her. The lavender haired child went forward to the Sons.

"Hi, Goku Gohan and Chi Chi. Long time no see. This is the first time we have met, Goten. I wonder who here remembers me? I am Trunks Briefs, son of Bulma and Vegeta, heir of both Capsule Corp and the Vegetasian Throne." He smirked again. "I think my Dad would love to meet you all."

**Part III**

"Look, lady, if you don't let go of me this instant I might smash your daughter's skull with the same book that I hit the car with." Trunks threatened and glared at the brunette which was hugging him tightly. "But sweetie! You saved my darling Pansy! How can I ever thank you?!" Trunks gagged. "You could start by getting your daughter to let go of my hair." The lady squealed. "Oh so polite and brave! And your purple hair is just adorable!" "It's lavender..." Trunks growled, he hated it when people mixed up his hair colour. He pried the woman's arms away from him and wriggled out of her grasp. Ouch. She had sharp fingernails. "Well it was nice meeting you and saving your little girl and all, but i have to go home. My parents are expecting me." "Yes of course! You obedient child. Go on back to your mommy and daddy!" She giggled, clutching on to her daughter. Trunks rolled his eyes and took off to the sky, beckoning Goku and the others to follow. Goku carried his wife bridal-style and ascended with his sons.

"Gee thanks for the help with the crazy lady there, guys." Trunks commented sarcastically. Goku laughed. "You're like the little superhero!" Trunks growled. "Call that again and I'll rip your head off." Gohan smiled at their new companion. Sure takes after his father. "Say, how's life living with Vegeta?" Trunks shrugged. "'S kay, i guess. He's not one for public displays of affection. But he cares. Also we fight a lot, but we make it work." Goku nodded understandingly. The five touched down on Capsule Corp.'s front lawn.

"Dad I'm home!" Trunks flung the door open. "You didn't lock the door again!"

"What for? No one dares to break in anyway!" Was the reply he got. "I have friends over!" Trunks threw his bag onto the couch. "Tell Kakarot not to touch anything!" "You heard him. Don't touch anything." Trunks called over his shoulder. "Oh okay!" Goku called out cheerfully. It was then Goten knocked a vase over by accident. "Oops!" He scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. Chi Chi slapped his hand away from another object that might have become a new victim. Vegeta appeared from the hall.

"Hey Vegeta! Long time no see!" Goku smiled and waved to the face no further than a metre away. Vegeta nodded in response. He turned towards Goten, then Trunks. "Kakarot's youngest kid." He replied, answering his father's question. (A/N: Trunks calls Goku Goku, but he refers to him as Kakarot like his father out of habit when with Vegeta.) "Hi sir. My name's Goten." Goten gave him the trademark Son grin. Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Dinner's ready." "You can cook?!" Gohan exclaimed, shocked. Chi Chi had a surprised look on her face as well. Goku and Goten-well they both expressed a lack of emotions other than hunger.

Trunks shot the teen an amused look. "No, he can't. He tries. But he can't." Vegeta growled at his son. "Watch it brat." "One would think that after taking care of a child and cooking meals for 8 years you would at least obtain some sort of culinary skill, but it is not evident in your case." Trunks stated with a mischievous glint in his eyes, igniting a snicker from Gohan. Vegeta chose to ignore that comment.

"If someone had said that to you 8 years ago, you would have blasted them to oblivion." Gohan noticed. "A lot of things happen in 8 years." Goku mentioned intelligently. **(A/N: Yep, you heard me. I just put the two words 'Goku/Kakarot' and 'Intelligent' in the same sentence without the phrase 'is not' in between.)** Everyone nodded their agreement.

They sat down. Trunks took out a fork and warily poked the food with it. "Are you sure this is edible?" He asked. **(A/N: wondering what the food looks like? Alright, imagine a banana in a Ziploc bag. A 4 days old banana, the kind that is yellowish-brownish. Can be eaten, but not recommended. Okay. Now we all know who squishy those kind of bananas are, right? Good. So let's say someone peels the banana, and while the banana is till in the Ziploc bag with the peel, the person squishes it. Like, step on it then rub it over that kind of squishing. Like till it's soft mushy and runny in a disgusting brownish colour. Are you imagining? Take that gross factor, divide it by 10, and mix it with rice and pudding. There you have it.) **Vegeta thought for a moment. "Yes." He then took a bite, sighed and placed his fork down again. "No." he corrected. Goku ignored it and started digging in. "This stuff's good!" Trunks shot him an odd look. "I see what you mean when you said Kakarot was an idiot." "I don't know who you are supposed to eat this Dad, but I don't think I want to." Gohan commented. "No offense Vegeta." he added. Trunks stood up wearily. "I'm getting pizza," he announced, "Okay Dad?" Vegeta grunted an agreement.

"So what happened?" Vegeta paused to look at Goku.

"After Bulma died I had to be a single parent and raise Trunks."

"You didn't re-marry?" Goku asked. Vegeta growled. "Saiya-jins mate for life, Kakarot. You wouldn't get another mate if yours dies too, would you?" _And besides, Bulma is my one and only. No one has ever even come close to replacing her, he added silently. _Goku nodded. "Right! I can't imagine getting married to a woman who is not Chi Chi." Hearing this Chi Chi smiled to herself.

"I can't say i'm doing the best job and I would give anything to have Bulma back, but there's no way I'm denying that I did a horrible job." Vegeta added, almost smugly. His words carried a sense of pride and achievement never shown. Trunks nodded enthusiastically and snuggled up to his father, who, to everyone's surprise, had not attempted to push him away. In fact, Chi Chi noticed, Vegeta seems to be actually... enjoying this affection. Once again she smiled to herself. _It seems family life has taken a toll on the once egoistical and sadistic prince._

If only Bulma were here to see this.

**And I feel no need to continue. Like I said, this is a one-shot. Which means I will not be continuing this. But it also means that if anyone wants to edit/continue this, go ahead! I don't mind at all. On one condition- PM me to tell me first! Cuz if someone works on my story, I definitely want to read it. Once again, please R&R! XD **


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